USNS Comfort Returns To Baltimore

UPDATED 6:39 AM EDT Mar 19, 2010

BALTIMORE -

A Navy hospital ship has returned home to Baltimore after a two-month mission to earthquake-stricken Haiti.

The USNS Comfort arrived at Canton Pier before noon on Friday to a hero's welcome by family and friends, as well as schoolchildren from St. Ambrose Catholic School in Baltimore who just wanted to say thank you.

"I think they should be so proud of what they did, and I think every single person in this country should be honored that we have people that go out and do that for us every day," said family member Christina Starr.

"It's been hard -- having two babies at home alone is hard," said Sarah Bertrand, who met her husband at the pier.

The nearly 900-foot floating hospital left Baltimore Jan. 16 and began treating patients off the coast of Port-au-Prince four days later.

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"I'm very happy to be home. I've been ready for a while to come back," said Comfort crew member Cordero Palmer.

Many of those who returned home said the memories of their trip will last a lifetime.

"After all they went through, they still managed to smile. It was amazing just seeing those people smile through all that suffering," said crew member Robert Bertrand.

Cmdr. Tim Donahue, the ship's director of surgery, said the Comfort treated 871 patients and performed 843 surgeries.

He said the ship received patients every six to nine minutes during its first four days in Haiti.

Many crew members said while they were pleased with the success of the mission, they wanted to do more.

"I think the American doctors and nurses made America proud. We did a very good job under difficult circumstances. I will say that Haiti still needs a lot of help, and I think America is still behind them," said Commanding Officer James Ware.

"We know there are a lot of non-government organizations that are still there, and we wish we could still be there helping them," said Lt. Comm. Tom Olivero, a head nurse on the ship.

He said he and his shipmates have gotten to reflect on the mission.

"It's bittersweet. It's great to come home and be with the family, but looking back, it's pretty amazing what we were able to do," he said.

Donahue said the mission marked the first time the Comfort has reached full operational capacity since it was delivered to the Navy in 1987.

The Comfort is slated for another humanitarian mission sometime in 2011. It's rumored that they might make a stop back in Haiti.